Venezuelan Nurse Macuare released

The Venezuelan nurse Ada Macuare has been released from jail. She can wait for her trial at home. CNV Internationaal's partner union ASI reports. "I am extremely relieved that Macuare has been released and can go back to her family," says Maurice van Beers, regional coordinator of CNV Internationaal. In recent weeks, he has been in close contact about the situation of the nurse - mother of two children - with Venezuelan union partner ASI.

Without protective gear

Macuare was arrested on July 21, during her work in the emergency room, because she had participated in a protest action by health care personnel a week earlier. Macuare is a member of trade union ASI (Alianza Sindical Independiente) and was detained in a police cell since.

In Venezuela, health care workers have to work without proper protective equipment, there is no vaccination programme and salaries are not paid or only partially.

Van Beers: "Health care workers have to work under bad conditions, while they play such an essential role in the fight against the pandemic. The least the Venezuelan government can do is ensure that people can work safely and that they receive decent wages.

It is great that Macuare is now free, but the reason why the staff protested must also be addressed. That is what our partner union continues to strive for."

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